ROADAHEAD.COM.AU
20
LIFESTYLE | WELLBEING
THE ROAD AHEAD JUN/JUL 2013
keep an eye on glaucoma
GLAUCOMA IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE
OF BLINDNESS, BUT EARLY DETECTION AND
TREATMENT CAN STOP SOME OF THE DAMAGE.
STORY BELINDA PETERS
THE ABILITY TO see clearly can easily
be taken for granted, until that ability
is taken away. Glaucoma is a condition
that gradually causes irreversible
damage to the optic nerve and can
often go undetected.
According to Professor Joanne Wood,
from the QUT's Institute of Health
and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), due
to its gradual nature many sufferers
were unaware their vision was being
impacted.
"Because glaucoma is gradual, most
people don't know they have it until
it is picked up at an eye examination,
by which time the person has most
probably already lost some vision,"
Professor Wood said.
"Glaucoma often starts in the
peripheral, or side vision, area and,
because of its gradual onset, can go
unnoticed and people carry on with
their normal activities unaware they
are losing visual capacity."
There is no pain or discomfort
associated with glaucoma, so the lack
of symptoms makes early detection
difficult. As the disease progresses,
symptoms may include painless
blurred vision, loss of peripheral vision
and difficulty adjusting to low light.
Those most at risk of glaucoma
include those with a family history of
Protect your eyes by:
• Having regular eye check-ups.
• Wearing sunglasses with good
UV protection and a hat to
reduce UV exposure.
• Consuming a diet high in
anti-oxidants, omega 3 fatty acids,
vitamins E and C and minerals
including zinc and selenium.
• Protect your eyes from hazards by
wearing safety glasses when there
is a risk of eye injury.
visionaustralia.org
... it's also cited
as one of the main
reasons older drivers
give up driving.
the ailment, aged 40 years and over,
are short sighted, have diabetes, have
had a serious injury to the eye, used
steroids regularly over a long period of
time or have hypertension.
Professor Wood said that the
condition could lead to increased
number of falls in older sufferers and
affect driving ability. Ongoing research
at QUT was aimed at providing
guidelines for licensing of drivers
with glaucoma and also examining
potential interventions to assist safe
driving in people with the ailment,
she said.
"Driving is a highly complex, visual
task and people with glaucoma often
report problems with glare and night
driving. It's also cited as one of the
main reasons older drivers give up
driving," Professor Wood said.
Glaucoma can be treated with
medication, laser treatment or surgery.
As early detection and treatment
of this condition can prevent or
delay vision loss, Professor Wood
recommends that everyone should
have their eyes examined at least
every two years.
"Although glaucoma can't be
reversed, its progress can be slowed, or
sometimes stopped, with treatment,"
she said.